Wesley Walker and Alice-Anne Brunn look on in amazement at Harold Alexander and Janice Ross in the new play at the Waco Civic Theater.

By Robin Starnes

Lariat Reporter

Arthritis, walkers and a 98-year-old romantic lead may not be common ingredients in a romantic play, but they have a central role in Waco Civic Theater's production of 'Social Security,' a tale of elderly romance.

Andrew Bergman's comedy is the story of two sisters and their mother. The two sophisticated sisters have spent years moving their mother from one family's home to the other's. The mother, Sophie, has been living happily with her daughter, Trudy, for years. She is content in her old age until she meets Maurice, a 98-year-old artist.

'The girls have been shuffling mama back and forth for years,' Genie Waldrep, Waco Civic Theater operations director, said. 'She is in her eighties and is not happy when she has to meet a world-famous art dealer at dinner.'

Maurice meets Sophie for the first time when she is wearing her slip, and falls instantly in love.

'Sophie decides that life is worth living after all. After a 'miraculous recovery,' she doesn't need her walker anymore. They actually end up going to Paris together,' Waldrep said.

'This is a good romantic comedy,' Waldrep said. 'It deals with the problems in marriage and in love. We hope that students will look at the play and say 'that's my family' or maybe even relate their own experiences to those of the characters.'

'The main idea is that love knows no age,' Waldrep said. 'Just because there's snow on the roof doesn't mean the fire is out in the fireplace.'

The show opens on March 13 and runs through the 16th. In addition, it will be showing from March 20-23. Thursday shows are at 7:30 p.m., Friday and Saturday shows are at 8 p.m., and Sunday matinees are at 2:30.

Tickets may be purchased at the Waco Civic Theater box office at 1517 Lake Air Drive. Box office hours are weekdays from 10 a.m. until 6 p.m. and Saturdays from 1 p.m. until showtime. Tickets are $10, but students may receive a thirty percent discount for the Thursday show and Sunday matinee with a student ID.